Chapter Fourteen
Itazura Kukkuboi! [4]
"Actually, this seems to be the basic need of the human heart in nearly every great crisis - a good hot cup of coffee."
- Alexander King
Late in the night, Shiro lay in a spare hammock, staring at the ceiling.
Was his dream going to be put to an end so quickly? Perhaps he wasn't trying hard enough.
With a sigh, he turned over and closed his eyes.
A younger Shiro wandered through the halls of a large merchant ship, running his fingers along the white painted walls.
He heard a giggle up ahead and moved to see what was going on.
A girl, about the same age as him, sat in in the kitchen, holding a thick book in her lap. Her dark brown hair was pulled into two low pigtails, tied with light golden ribbons. Her brown eyes sparkled as she listened to the chefs talk about all the kinds of dishes they made on their journeys. She laughed again, turning her head slightly, and noticed him.
"Hello!" she said in a friendly way. Shiro froze, finding himself nodding hesitantly. "My name is Kaya Syrup. Who are you?"
"Shiro Takaoji," he mumbled, not meeting her eyes.
One of the chefs seemed to notice him and smiled.
"Hey there, Shiro!" he called, waving the young boy in. "We were just talking to Miss Syrup about how it'd be nice to be able to make anything."
"It's my dream," Kaya confessed, blushing slightly. "It would be amazing to be such a wonderful cook." Shiro smirked.
"When I become the World's Greatest Chef, I'll let you know how it feels." he said smugly.
"Who says I won't be to the one to tell you what it's like being the World's Greatest Chef?" she shot back, smirking slightly.
"We'll see!" Shiro said, grinning. "From this point on, we're rivals! First one to fufill the dream wins!" Kaya grinned.
Flames licked into the sky, reaching greedily for the stars. Smoke clouded his lungs, making him choke from the fumes and sea water. He watched the ship go up in flames. A horrified scream tore from his lips and lamented into the night.
"Kaya! KAAAAAYAAAAA!"
Shiro shot up with a gasp, disturbing his hammock and sending him tumbling to the ground. He froze, afraid he had woken someone.
Kaoru snorted, snuggling closer to his brother-turned-cat.
Tamaki sat up sleepily. Shiro watched him anxiously as he climbed out of the hammock and walked over to the supply closet. He pulled it open and stared in it for a moment, then smiled sleepily.
"Hello my darling Haruhi," he said, sounding garbled. "Let's cuddle under the moonlight." The tall blond grabbed a mop and took it back to his sleeping area, climbing back into the hammock and holding it close.
Shiro snorted, trying to hold back a laugh.
"Bad dream?" a voice asked from behind him. The boy turned to find Ritsu watching him.
"What? Can't trust me on your ship?" he grumbled, looking put out. The red head chuckled.
"Come with me," he said, walking towards the stairs. Shiro followed him, confusion evident on his face.
On deck, Ritsu glanced up at the crow's nest and waved at Takashi, who in return, raised a hand in greeting. Ritsu dropped his hand and made his way to the galley. The two males entered the galley and headed for the kitchen, where a pleasant smell was hinted. Ritsu pushed open the door to reveal Haruhi sitting at the table, holding an empty mug. She looked up at them and smiled faintly.
"Thanks for the hot chocolate," she said, standing.
"I'm always willing to listen," Ritsu said, smiling at her as she walked out.
"What was that about?" Shiro asked, allowing himself to be ushered to the table.
"We were talking about a few things." Ritsu said casually, handing him a mug of his own.
Warm brown liquid swirled in the cup, light steam floating off the surface and ridding the memory of smoke from his lungs, filling them with a sense of peace and content.
"Why'd you bring me here?" Shiro asked after a long silence.
"I wanted to see what you thought of my hot chocolate. Good, isn't it?" Shiro nodded. "I also wanted to talk to you about your nightmare."
"How'd you know?" the boy asked, tipping his head to the side.
"I was watching you," Ritsu said simply, sipping his drink. "Would you like to talk about it?"
"There's not much to talk about," Shiro said bitterly. "Morgan raided the ship, threw me overboard when I tried to stop him, and set the ship on fire with everyone else tied up below deck."
"That's a harsh thing to go through," Ritsu said softly, looking at the brunette with gentle brown eyes.
"I can still hear her screams," Shiro whispered, sounding depressed. The captain looking at a knot in the wall interestedly as Shiro wiped his eyes.
"Feel any better?" he asked.
"Not really," the other boy murmered, barking a short laugh.
"Good to hear," Ritsu set his mug down and clapped Shiro on the shoulder. "When we make port, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself."
Shiro watched as the captain swayed out of the room in the direction of the captain's quarters.
Next Chapter: They arrive at an island where Shiro participates in a cooking battle to prove his worth.
A/N: I had to make a name for his crush. The series never says who she is. Points for anyone who finds the connection in her name. We feel like we're neglecting Kyouya. . . it's a good thing he's one of the center pieces for the next arc!
- He might be a new member, MinusOne. Yes, they are very happy to be rid of Haruhi's cooking. :D
Tamaki: I'm not!
-Oh be quiet you!
-Thanks for the OCs Shinu Mae! They won't be used any time soon because we've got most of the story planned out, but we're trying to work them in somehow. If you have any more, feel free to message us! :)